8
He was forc’d to make that promise only,
In the desart I (illegible text) with hunger should die,
With ⟨a grim look⟩ the (illegible text) did appear,
Which made the (illegible text) fill'd them with fear
Crying, what (illegible text) sure he is not a man,
He will have our darling do all that we can.
He said, It was promis’d and I’d have my due,
There’s one babe for me and another for you,
I will save your first born, come give him to me,
At which all the family wept bitterly.
The babe’s mother cried I’m griev’d to the ⟨heart⟩
To think that I ⟨with⟩ such a dear infant must part,
To one that should carry him, Lord knows where,
And perhaps in pieces my darling will tear
With that she ⟨embrac’d him⟩ and down the tears fell
And then having kissed him, she bade him ⟨farewell⟩
Saying, It is for the sake of my husband that I
Do part with my first ⟨born⟩ tho’ for him I die.
So then this grim ⟨Ghost to⟩ her husband did say
Sir, do you remember in Turkey one day.
You saw a dead man’s corpse lying on the ground
And to have it buried, you gave fifty pound:
Sir, I am the spirit ⟨of⟩ that dead ⟨body⟩,
I saved your life for that great love to me;
You may keep your babe, so God bless you all,
Then away it vanished out of the hall!
Being gone, the old Prince & his Princess like ⟨wise⟩
The babe’s tender parents with tears in their eyes
With joy they embrac’d their darling their Son,
Saying, Child, had’st thou ⟨left us⟩ we had been ⟨undone⟩
Now I’ll leave the court ⟨full of⟩ joy and mirth,
To love one another (illegible text) them ⟨breath⟩
And now by this F(illegible text) may indeed,
No mortal can prevent what Fate has decreed.
